Picking Season (Also Denial)
by KaylieMarie
Summary: "You…you had sex with Hayley?" The words barely slipped out of Caroline's mouth before she wished she could bring them back, wished her voice no longer sounded hurt or fragile or slightly broken. - a Klaroline drabble. Posted from Tumblr.


"You…you had sex with Hayley?" The words barely slipped out of Caroline's mouth before she wished she could bring them back, wished her voice no longer sounded hurt or fragile or slightly broken.

Klaus stared at her, his face masked in indifference. He wasn't going to let her affect him anymore. She wasn't allowed to have that kind of power. He thought that if he slept with Hayley, felt the intimacy of another woman and banished Caroline from the mind, he would feel better. He would no longer feel powerless and rejected and abandoned. Maybe he would start to feel whole again.

"Perhaps." He said stiffly.

Caroline just stared at him. She was trying to process the information, trying to figure out why there was a distinct hollow feeling forming below her chest. Why did she care? Why did his actions feel like some type of betrayal? She didn't want him.

She didn't want him.

She didn't want him.

If she didn't want him why did it hurt so much?

"Um. Ok-ay." Caroline stuttered out and her voice cracked and she knew that she had to get out of there before she lost it.

She turned to leave, her face falling just enough to dig something inside of Klaus's gut but instead of the urge to comfort her, he felt angered. Angered because he cared and she wasn't allowed to make him do that.

"Why do you even care, Caroline?" He bit out.

Caroline stopped, hesitated just a second. I don't, she wanted to tell him. Because it's gross, she wanted to say. Because yet again, someone didn't pick me, she wanted to cry.

"I don't." She attempted to snarl, but it didn't come out strong enough.

"Whatever you say, sweetheart. Keep living in your constant state of denial. It's a good look for you."

"What do you want me to say, Klaus?" She finally snapped, her voice clear and loud. "Do you want me to tell you that I care? Because yeah, okay, maybe I do. Maybe I care and it doesn't make any sense and I shouldn't be allowed to, but I do, okay?! I care Klaus and it hurts because yet again in my life, Caroline Forbes is left behind for someone else! And it's stupid because I thought that maybe all of the time I spent rationalising whatever this was between us in my head would be worth it, that maybe eventually I could let myself feel everything but obviously that isn't going to happen. You've moved on to someone else and I'm left behind. Again. But it's fine. It's totally fine and I'm just going to pretend this entire thing didn't happen." She breathed, her voice loosing power as she felt the familiar build up behind her eyes. She refused to turn to look at him.

She only got a few steps before his hand latched around her wrist.

"I didn't leave you behind." He said, but his voice turned soft, feeling the weight of her confession.

"It doesn't matter." She snapped.

Klaus pulled her around to face him. "Yes it does. Why can't you be honest with me, Caroline? Why can't you tell me how you feel?"

"Because it doesn't matter, Klaus! You've obviously made your choice!"

"I have chosen you countless times, Caroline! I showed mercy and kindness and I picked you! Forgive me for thinking I was allowed to move on when you didn't pick me back!"

"But I did!" She exploded. "I stayed here! I didn't run off with Tyler, I picked you!"

His response was instantaneous, his pull crushing her to him as he pressed his lips to hers. She melted into him, her body relaxing from the exhaustion and the ease of no longer fighting her emotions.

"I have always picked you, Caroline." Klaus murmured into her lips. "Even in moments of weakness, I will always pick you."

Caroline melted against him. "And I think I'll always pick you back." She whispered.

* * *

A/N: This was something I wrote Thursday after The Blasphemy to make me feel a little bit better. I'm off to writing the second half of Diamonds & Disaster, but hopefully this can tide some of you over for a bit...


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